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2035 Olympics: Crusade vs. Harbinger
Coliseum(#9931Rnt) - The Swordfish This massive, circular room serves as the central arena for the Swordfish, allowing it to host numerous games and events. Like the rest of the ship, this area is made of a white substance that /looks/ more like stone than metal, although whatever it is, it seems to serve well enough to hold the ship together. The richly carved stadium is lined with row upon row of standard seating, with several more luxurious balconies for the wealthier passengers. The stadium floor is sunken, and can be flooded for naval battles, or re-arranged to serve other purposes. Frequently, pit traps, nets, trip-wires and lasers provide additional challenge to any warriors or racers in the competition area below. Cyclonus walks quietly across the ruins of Chicago, the city skyline twisted apart as if had suffered the revenge of some fallen creature... The look of grim satisfaction on his face passes quickly, however...Behind the fringes of this illusion, he can see the audience gathered to see today's combat. Overhead he can hear squads of EDC fighters flying above the Swordfish. This rubble has not come to pass. Not yet. Cyclonus stands silently, waiting for the combatants to arrive, the words 'not yet' ringing in his ears. Harbinger enters from one side of the arena and pauses as she passes into the mock-Chicago area and looks around, breathing a sigh of relief, "Have.. some chance at least." She sets herself and raise her arm to indicaite she is ready. Crusade isn't sure of what to make of his surroundings, but he knows it'll be a pain to navigate. He waves up at the crowd, then looks to his opponent standing across the arena from him. His doorwings flutter slightly. A cassette. A Decepticon cassette. This will be interesting. Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Protected. ROLL: Harbinger rolled a 82 ROLL: Crusade rolled a 35 Cyclonus acknowledges the arrival of both combatants. He eyes Crusade darkly for a moment. "Greetings, slave. I hope you have enjoyed this brief freedom you have found. Know that it will not last." He gives Harbinger a look of 'now back that up...' and walks to the sidelines. "Begin." Harbinger waits for the start of the match.. and darts to the side, running behind some of the buildings and making her way thorugh them towards her massive Autobot opponent, muttering to herself, "Read the contract next time.. read the contact next time.. another fight I could of avoiding." As she passes between two of the buildings, her small energy pistols leap into her hands and she fires off a spray of shots thorugh the gapes as she passes each one. Combat: Harbinger misses Crusade with her Laser attack! Crusade glares at Cyclonus, though his doorwings slump visibly. That stung. "Shut up," he growls, though there's no fire or anger to his words. He ducks behind a half-collapsed building as Harbinger starts moving, the pistol fire whizzing through the space where he'd been standing moments ago. There's a lot of cover that a smaller bot could make use of, he notes, pulling his trusty old laser rifle from subspace. Lots of places for her to hide. He emerges from behind the ruined building for long enough to fire a shot at where he'd last seen Harbinger, then retreats again. Combat: Crusade sets his defense level to Guarded. Combat: Crusade misses Harbinger with his Best Friend Rifle attack! -3 Harbinger squeaks and ducks behind a wall, which disappers in a burst of debris as Crusade's shot pulverises it. A pair of red optics peek over the edge of it and she yells, "Hey! Your not suppose to hit girls you know! Talk about no manners!" She then ducks back behind the now much smaller wall and activates her stealth armor, the little cassette fading from view before she kicks in her flight system to hover just enough off the ground to keep from kicking up a dust cloud and darts away to one side quickly, putting some distance between her and where she was. Combat: Harbinger is no longer apparent in view! "So what am I supposed to do, then? Let you turn me into scrap?" Crusade asks, and sighs. He hunkers down, setting his back against the building's wall - one less direction he needs to watch - and scans the area for any sign of Harbinger. A small part of him wonders if he'd been assigned to fight a cassette because of how badly he got thrashed in his previous match. "Besides," he continues, speaking more to himself than anyone else, "you're a Decepticon. What do you know of manners, anyway?" On a hunch, he fires at a parking garage to his left, guessing that she might be hiding in there. Combat: Crusade takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger keeps prowling along the edge of the arena as she makes her way quickly around it. Optics tracking the Autobot, and matching him up against previous encounters from the other Decepticon, refining her own targeting parameters on him as she goes to better predict his reactions. She does make her way closer, her beacon clear on the screens setup for the viewers to see the nitty and gritty of the fight. She eventually comes to rest perched on the top of the wall Crusade is leaning against and peers down at him, grinning just a bit as she sends off a short burst radio message. Combat: Harbinger takes extra time to aim her next attack. The comm-line to Crusade statics to life as Harbinger transmits, <> Crusade waits and waits, keeping close watch on his surroundings for any signs of movement. Crusade waits and waits, keeping close watch on his surroundings for any signs of movement. The different pace of fighting a stealthy opponent is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it gives him a lot of time to formulate a plan, but there's that constant need to be aware of a potential surprise attack. Nothing he can't handle, though. <> he replies. While it's not much help, knowing that Harbinger was within hearing range of him when he spoke is a small blessing. It narrows down the area where she might be by just a bit. He raises his rifle and scans the area again, searching for the cassette in every direction he can see... every direction except up. Combat: Crusade takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger considers for a moment, "Brutality breeds brutality.. Bots cannot claim superiority when they resort to tactics that even a Terrorcon would not." And with that the small cassette drops from her perch straight down, feet extended with armor plating sliding into place to reinforce her feet for the strike, "BANZAI ER!" Seems Harby has been hanging around her blue brother a bit too much... picked up a few choice words from him, as she commits a CASSETTE-FROM-ABOVE attack. Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Suddenly, Harbinger appears out of the blue! Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Harbinger strikes Crusade with her DEATH FROM ABOVE ER attack! Combat: Critical Hit! Combat: That attack has temporarily impaired Crusade's Agility. (Crippled) It's raining cassettes! Hallelujah! Well, it's not exactly something to rejoice over, especially for Crusade. Harbinger's feet nail him squarely on the top of his helm, leaving a sizeable dent. He instinctively raises a hand and swats at her, trying to knock her away. Hopefully into a building. Combat: Crusade sets his defense level to Neutral. Combat: Crusade strikes Harbinger with his Punch attack! Harbinger goes through the wall, the rumble collapsing around her, but the small cassette doesnt stay there as she rolls away, her pistols appearing back in her hands as she fires them rapidly to try to give herself some cover to get distance.. the small cassette sprinting with the one thing she is good at, her speed, and heads for another layer of walls. Combat: Harbinger strikes Crusade with her Laser attack! Cyclonus crosses his arms, watching the fight. It's eerily quiet, as no one bothered even asking Cyclonus if he wanted to do commentary. Just the murmur of the crowd, and two robots trying to maim each other. "Tactics like what? Living a civilized life? Letting other races live peacefully instead of trying to conquer them?" Crusade rubs the spot where Harbinger had hit. "Yeah, I can't see a Terrorcon resorting to anything like that." He winces as a few laser bolts scorch his chestplate, but shrugs off the light damage as he raises his rifle. Harbinger is not his target, however - he fires at the walls where she's heading. Combat: Crusade strikes Harbinger with his Best Friend Rifle attack! -3 Harbinger manages to dodge most of the rubble, but enugh still hits to send the Cassette scrambling for new cover in a stumbling run. "So you say... Autobots brutalize even the neutrals if they do not dance to your tune!" Her rifle snaps into plce over her shouler, a and fires off a spray of heavier rounds into Crusade's general area, her aim wild as she isnt exactly a great shot to begin with and presently is more worried about finding more cover then actually hitting. Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Protected. Combat: Harbinger misses Crusade with her Spray and Pray (Full-Auto) attack! Crusade raises his voice so that wherever Harbinger is, she'll be able to hear it. "And the Decepticons don't?" He ducks behind the building, and the burst of gunfire strikes the ruin instead of him. "You're crazy. Just like the other 'Cons." He returns fire, wishing that they were fighting in a more open environment. There's too many places for a cassette to hide! Combat: Crusade strikes Harbinger with his Keep praying! attack! -3 Harbinger's right-side is rather ravished by that hit.. her arm falling behind as she finally manages to get into that cover... and her stealth armor kicks in again, though it takes her a bit longer as she has to adjust for the mild sparks from her shoulder now. Combat: Harbinger is no longer apparent in view! Crusade emerges into the open, rifle clutched tightly in his hands. He isn't sure if Harbinger's silence is due to damage, or their verbal sparring, but it's slightly encouraging nonetheless. "Hiding again?" he calls, trying to goad her out into the open. "Just as I thought. You're crazy, and you're also a coward. Not like I was expecting anything else from the likes of you!" Combat: Crusade takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger moves along the terrain, taking her time as she sets differnt programs into effct, and bursts another small transmission to Crusde, <> Combat: Harbinger takes extra time to aim her next attack. > Crusade sends back as he checks a half-collapsed building for any signs of life. He makes his way through the ruined city, staying alert. Combat: Crusade takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger would laugh.. but she is staying quiet verbally at least, < do have strong points, Bot. None of which are used here as they would be a waste.>> She sits quietly on a perch, optics tracking the Autobot as he moves thorugh the terrain, then smiles as she see's a possbile.. opportunity. Combat: Harbinger analyzes Crusade for weaknesses. <> Crusade shakes his head - silly 'Cons, always bragging. < have to hand it to you, though. You're pretty good at hiding like a scared glitchmouse and running your mouth.>> He continues searching for Harbinger as he comms her. If he can't find her, maybe he can annoy her until she comes out of hiding. Combat: Crusade takes extra time to steady himself. Pass Harbinger internally chuckles before she repies, <> She floats upwards slowly agian, till she is above the Bot's head... and figures since it worked once, it might again.. and drops from above, hands grasping together as she tries to hammer the Bot as hard as she can, as she knows this is likely her last try. Combat: Suddenly, Harbinger appears out of the blue! Combat: Harbinger sets her defense level to Fearless. Combat: Harbinger strikes Crusade with her Smash attack! Today might have been a good day to bring an umbrella for the rain of pain from above. Crusade stumbles forwards into a building as Harbinger's fists smash into the dent her feet had made earlier. Instinct takes over and the acidic response he'd just thought up goes unspoken. He tries to grab the cassette, and if he manages to get a hold of her, throw her to the ground. Combat: Crusade strikes Harbinger with his Will it bounce? (Smash) attack! Harbinger grunts as she is slammed into the ground, and chuckes, "That.. the best you have? No wonder... the Autobots are.. not feared.." And just lays there, as she laughs up at the larger Bot. Then radios him directly, <> Combat: Harbinger takes extra time to steady herself. Pass You receive a radio message from Harbinger: Make sure.. to get this.. recorded, Sir.. of a Bot abusing a already beaten... opponent. Cyclonus stalks forward suddenly, towards the two combatants, slowing as he closes in, optics burning towards Crusade. "This creature has failed her Empire, and fallen short of faith in our Emperor. Take your shot, slave. Finish this." He stares down at Harbinger. "Or I shall. Record an abuse, Decepticon? Are we an Empire of children, resorting to petty 'tattling' when we fall short in one on one combat, our holiest of rituals?" Crusade grimaces, glaring sidelong at Cyclonus. The idea of striking a smaller, weaker, prone target is slightly repulsive, but then again, it's a Decepticon. If the tables were turned, she probably wouldn't hesitate, he reminds himself. But still, he can't quite bring himself to pull the trigger, or land the finishing blow. Especially not when doing so would mean obeying a Decepticon's command. He looms over Harbinger, rifle aimed just below where the important components beneath her chestplate should be. She might notice that the hands holding the weapon are shaking ever so slightly. "Damn it," he hisses quietly, and pulls the trigger. Boom. Combat: Crusade sets his defense level to Fearless. Combat: Crusade strikes Harbinger with his A mech chooses a slave obeys attack! Combat: Harbinger falls to the ground, unconscious. Harbinger can't help but.. chuckle at the hestitation from Crusade, "And that.. is why you won't survive this.." As the Autobot does finally pull the trigger, the tape does one final defiant act.. and gives Cyclonus the Cybertronian-equivalent of the Finger. Harbinger is off-lined throughly by the shot, laying there in the middle of the arena. Cyclonus casually shoves Crusade aside and picks up the crumpled form of Harbinger like a human would bag their dog's droppings. "You have fought well today, slave. Some day, our Ruthless Savior will grant you a warrior's death, baptized and saved in unending, cleansing pain. He faces the judges, and gestures to Crusade to confirm the winner, and walks towards the exit with the smaller scout in hand. Crusade moves aside as Cyclonus steps forwards to retrieve Harbinger. He doesn't look happy with his victory. In fact, he looks furious - furious with himself, probably. The scowl lingers on his features as he leaves the arena.